Therapeutic Treatment Pad

ABSTRACT

A treatment pad for applying heat, cooling or an antiseptic fluid to a subject&#39;s body surface incorporates a heat transfer member or a wound treatment member that is adapted to be held in place by application of a vacuum pressure. The heat transfer member may comprise an electrical resistance wire arranged in a serpentine pattern within a housing or, alternatively, may comprise interconnected heat transmissive tubing through which either a heated or a cooled fluid may be made to pass. Alternatively, the pad may contain a gel that can be cooled in a refrigerator or heated in a microwave oven and held in place on the subject&#39;s body by application of a vacuum to the assembly. The wound treatment member may comprise a gaseous antiseptic delivery pad held in place on the patient&#39;s body by use of a vacuum.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a therapeutic treatment pad forapplying heat, cooling or a treatment fluid to a portion of the anatomyof a subject, and more particularly to a therapeutic pad that is adheredto the body by application of a vacuum.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

It is well-known in the art that in treating sprains, muscle strains,skin infections and other conditions, either heat or cooling be appliedto the localized area of the injury. In this regard, hot water bottles,ice bags, electrical heating pads and the like have been used. Oneproblem that has persisted in using such devices is the fact that theyare difficult to maintain in intimate contact with a patient's bodywhere sharp contours and flexing are involved. For example, in treatinga sprained ankle, applying ice to the injury counteracts the increasedblood flow to the injured area and thereby reduces swelling, redness andwarmth. By applying such cooling after the injury, much of theinflammation is prevented from developing. However, it is somewhatdifficult to make an ice bag conform to the contour of the ankle.

Many episodes of pain come from muscle exertion or strain, which causestension in the muscles and soft tissues. This tension can constrictcirculation, sending pain signals to the brain. Heat application easespain by dilating the blood vessels surrounding the painful area.Increased blood flow provides additional oxygen and nutrients to helpheal the damaged muscle tissue. The heat application also provides astimulating sensation in the skin, decreasing the pain signals beingtransmitted to the brain.

For the most part, heating pads and ice packs employ a flexible materialas the housing for a heat transfer medium to thereby allow the bag orpad to be wrapped about a body part. Users have employed elastic bandsand straps of one kind or another in an attempt to hold theheating/cooling pad in place at the site of the pain. Such an approachat securing the patient treatment pad or bag in place has not beenaltogether successful due to the presence of gaps between the surface ofthe treatment pad and the patient's skin. Air tends to be a good thermalbarrier and, hence, the presence of an air gap between the treatment padand the surface of the subject's skin detract from the efficacy of thetreatment.

In addressing wound sepsis, it has been found that various gaseous anti-bacterial agents, when appropriately applied are effective inalleviating infections.

A need therefore exists for a therapeutic treatment pad that can readilybe adhered to the body of a patient in such a way that a heat transfersurface or a gaseious medicament delivery pad remains in intimatecontact with the patient's skin. The present invention fulfills such aneed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided atherapeutic pad for use in applying heat or cooling to a body surface ofa patient that comprises a generally flat, flexible housing comprisingfirst and second major surfaces joined to one another about peripheraledges thereof, the first major surface being air impermeable and thesecond major surface being air permeable over at least a predeterminedarea thereof. Contained within the housing is a heat transfer member.Means are provided for creating a vacuum within the housing whereby asuction force is established between the second major surface of thehousing for adhering it to the body surface of a patient.

The heat transfer member may take any one of a number of forms. Forexample, it may comprise an electric resistance wire arranged in aserpentine pattern within the housing proximate the second major surfaceor, alternatively, may comprise heat transmissive tubing through whicheither hot or chilled fluid may be made to flow. It is also contemplatedthat the heat transfer member may consist of a gel material that can beeither heated in a microwave oven or chilled in the freezer compartmentof a refrigerator, depending on the type of injury to be treated.

As a further feature of the invention, the housing may be partitionedinto separate compartments whereby a vacuum can be applied over a firstarea of the second major surface while air under pressure is applied toa second area of the second major surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing features, objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment, especially when considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial view of a pad envelope in which the apparatus ofFIG. 1 may be contained;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a side or edge view of the embodiment of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectioned view of the embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a heating/cooling pad interior constructionshowing a possible heating/cooling fluid flow path; FIG. 11 shows a planview of a heating pad interior construction with an electricalresistance wire heating element;

FIG. 12 is a bottom exploded perspective view of a further embodiment ofa wound dressing where a vacuum is used to adhere the dressing to asubject's body; and

FIG. 13 is a top perspective of the embodiment of FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring first to FIGS. 1-3, there is illustrated the constructionalfeatures of a thermal treatment pad comprising a first embodiment of theinvention. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate how two layers of a suitablethermoplastic material can be thermally bonded to one another to form aplurality of tubes through which a hot or cold fluid, either a liquid ora gas, can be made to flow.

In FIG. 1, the thermal treatment pad insert 10 serves as a heat transfermember and is seen to comprise a fluid input tube 12 connected through aseal 14 to a tubular manifold 16 that connects a plurality of tubularshunt paths 18-28 to a fluid outflow tube 30 that is coupled through aseal 32 to an external outflow tube 34.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the shunt tubes are created by laminating twothermoplastic sheets 36-38 to one another selectively so as to createthe tubular shunt paths. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the tubularshunt paths 18-28 extend parallel to one another with spacestherebetween defined by bonded segments 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50.

While the thermoplastic material employed is itself impervious to fluidflow, the bonded segments 40-52 include a plurality of pinholeperforations through the thickness dimension of the joined layers 36 and38. The insert 10 may be made in a number of sizes from, say 25 sq. in.to 6 sq. ft. and need not necessarily be rectangular in shape.

Referring next to FIG. 3, it comprises a partial view of a thermaltreatment pad envelope in which the heat transfer member illustrated inFIG. 1 may be contained. It comprises a flexible, fluid impervious uppercovering portion 54 and a lower porous fabric layer 56. Withoutlimitation, the porous layer 56 may comprise any one of a variety ofthermally conductive polyester filtration materials that arecommercially available from a number of sources and may be thermally oradhesively bonded to the upper cover layer 54. The envelope is sized toaccommodate the size of the thermal treatment pad insert 10.

In use as a heating pad, a source of heated fluid is connected to thefluid input tube 12 and the external outflow tube 34 is used to returnthe fluid either back to a heat source in the case of a liquid or merelyexhausted to the atmosphere in the case of a heated gaseous media. Atthe same time, the tube 58 is connected to a vacuum source creating anegative pressure within the envelope defined by the impervious uppercover 54 and the lower pervious fabric layer 56 and thereby drawingambient air through the porous layer 56 and the pinhole apertures formedthrough the joined segments 40-52. This vacuum is sufficient to closelyadhere the thermal treatment pad insert 10 to an area of a subject'sbody to be treated, thus obviating a need for body or limb encirclingstraps of any kind. This intimate contact insures improved thermaltransfer through the layer 56.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention. In this arrangement, heated or cooled air is directed to aselected zone of the soft, flexible pad while suction forces aredeveloped in a remaining area of the pad to hold it in place. Moreparticularly, heated or cooled air or an alternative gaseous media ispumped through a tubular member 60 into a pocket 62 of the thermaltreatment pad while the tube 64 is connected to a vacuum source tothereby create a negative pressure within the pad in the areasurrounding the pocket 62.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the pad comprises a fluid impervious upperlayer 66 and a fluid pervious or porous bottom layer 68 that may bejoined together in a thermal bonding process about the periphery of thepad assembly 59 and also about the periphery of the pocket 62. Thus, twoseparate chambers are formed. The first chamber comprises the pocket 62and the second chamber comprises the area surrounding this pocket. Aheated or cooled fluid entering the pocket 62, via the tubular member60, will exude out through the porous bottom layer 68 in the area of thepocket 62 while ambient air will be drawn through the perforations inthe bottom layer 68 in the area surrounding the pocket 62 to cause thethermal treatment pad 59 to adhere to a patient's body at a treatmentsite. Layers 66 and 68 are preferably formed from a non-allergenicthermoplastic such as polyethylene, polyurethane or silicone rubber.However, other flexible thermoplastics may be used as well andlimitation to polyethylene or polyurethane is not to be inferred.

The embodiment of FIG. 5 lends itself to another application. The deviceof FIG. 5 enables ventilation of a wound with an antiseptic agent, whichin gaseous form, can be delivered as a low uniform dose to all parts ofthe wound. It has been found that the use of carbon dioxide (CO₂) as acarrier gas eliminates possible inflammability of an antiseptic agentand helps to concentrate it to the site of interest. Using theembodiment of FIG. 5 as a delivery system, the antibacterial effect ofgaseous ethanol on Staphylococcus Aurous can be achieved. It has beenfound that ethanol is a very potent antiseptic agent with knownproperties, which makes it suitable for killing bacteria. Theapplication of the vacuum to the area surrounding the pocket 62 servesto effectively seal the pad to the patient's body with the pocket 62overlaying a wound area. The application of a mixture of gaseous CO₂ andethanol serves to directly apply the antibacterial fluid to the wound.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a modification to the thermal treatment pad ofFIGS. 1-3 where, instead of being encased in an envelope style housinglike shown in FIG. 3, the heat transfer member 10 of FIG. 1 is attachedto the bottom of a filter housing 70 in which is contained a filtermedia 72 (FIG. 7). In this arrangement, the tube 58 leading to a vacuumsource connects into the housing 70 at a location superior to the heattransfer member 10. One or more removable clips may be used to securethe sealed perimeter of the thermal treatment pad insert 10 to theperimeter of the filter housing 70 so that the two can be separated whenit is desired to change the filter media 72. The filter media 72 may bea coarse, open-cell polyester or polyurethane foam, like that commonlyused as air filtration media. Air can pass through it while filteringout any impurities. The filter media is selected so the application of avacuum to the filter housing 70 prevents it from collapsing against thepinhole apertures formed in the thermal treatment pad insert 10 asearlier explained. The filter material selected and the quantity thereofcontained within the housing 70 is such as to allow the resulting pad toremain quite flexible so as to be able to conform to a body contourwhere heating or cooling is to be applied. The plural arrows shown inFIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the direction of airflow through the devicewhen the tube 58 is connected to a vacuum source. If desired, handles,as at 74, may be provided on the device to facilitate placement of thethermal treatment pad on a selected body surface.

Turning next to FIGS. 8 and 9, a further embodiment of the invention isdisclosed. Here, a thermal treatment pad insert 10 like that shown inFIG. 1 is attached to the base of a hard or rigid shell 76, withprovision being made for the removable attachment of the thermaltransfer pad insert to the base thereof. It is intended that theembodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9 be used in a massage mode. The shell 76 maybe molded from a number of thermal setting plastics and, as shown inFIG. 9, an elastomeric diaphragm 78, with perforations formedtherethrough is made to span the length and width dimensions of theinterior of the shell 76. Ultrasonic transducers 80, 82 and 84 areaffixed to diaphragm 78. The fluid carrying tubes, i.e., shunt paths18-28 are designed to vary in height across the length dimension of theshell 76. A foam seal member 86 surrounds the base of the shell. Again,handles as at 74 are provided to allow the user to manipulate (rub) theassembly over an affected body area as heated or cooled fluid iscirculated through the tubes 18-28 of the soft thermal pad and a vacuumis applied to the tube 58 drawing ambient air through the apertures inthe spaces 40-52 to thereby draw the massage device into intimatecontact with the subject's skin with heating or cooling being appliedsimultaneously with the application of soothing ultrasonic vibrationsproduced by the transducers 80-84. In accordance with the invention, thespace in the shell 76 above the diaphragm 78 may contain a filter mediaas in the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a heat transfer pad for implementing a thermaltreatment pad insert in accordance with the present invention. It isseen to comprise a serpentine fluid flow path having a fluid input tube12 and an external outflow tube 34. Again, the pad of FIG. 10 ispreferably formed using first and second sheets of a suitablethermoplastic, such as polyurethane, polyethylene, a vinyl or siliconerubber that are suitably bonded together only in those areas in whichare seen the pinhole apertures in FIG. 10. The areas of the two layersthat are sealed together are in an interdigitated configuration tocreate the serpentine fluid flow path. When the thermal treatment pad ofFIG. 10 is affixed to a bottom or base of a flexible or rigid covermember as in the previously described embodiments, a vacuum may be drawncausing the thermal treatment pad to adhere to a skin surface of asubject while heating or cooling fluid, introduced through the fluidinput tube 12, will travel the serpentine path defined by theinterdigitated fingers before exiting the external outflow tube 34 thusmore directly applying the heating/cooling temperatures to the subject'sskin.

Those skilled in the art can appreciate that rather than flowing a fluidthrough the tubular shunt paths, those paths may be filled with a heattransfer gel of the type that remains in gel form when subjected to lowtemperatures as when placed in a refrigerated compartment and whensubjected to high temperatures when treated in a microwave oven.

Without limitation, when used in a cooling mode, the fluid may bechilled to as low as −2° Celsius and when operating in a heating mode,the fluid may typically reach a temperature of up to 43° Celsius.

As seen in FIG. 11, rather than employing a heating fluid or gel, thepresent invention may also be implemented using an electrical resistancewire 86 sandwiched between first and second layers of flexible plasticsheets that are sealed to one another about the periphery of the pad asthe heat transfer member. The bottommost layer is air pervious, eitherby the choice of materials employed or by providing pinhole aperturestherethrough in the manner already explained. The resistance wire 86 isrouted in a serpentine manner to effective cover the area of the heattransfer pad before being brought out to an electrical plug 88. Notshown in FIG. 11 but included would be a conventional thermostat controlwhereby the temperature can be adjustably set. Again, by connecting thetube 90 to a vacuum source, the thermal treatment pad of FIG. 11 will bedrawn against a subject's skin surface insuring a more uniform heatingof the skin surface subtended by the pad.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show an alternative construction of a treatment padconstructed in accordance with the present invention. In FIG. 12, afluid impervious plastic sheet 100 is bonded about its periphery to afluid pervious plastic sheet 102 as signified by the pinholeperforations illustrated thereon. The layer 102 has a central opening104 and fitted therein is an insert member indicated generally numeral106.

It, too, comprises a fluid impervious plastic sheet member 108 bondedabout its periphery to a perforated sheet 110. A fluid inlet tube 112leads to the space between the sheets 108 and 110. In a similar fashion,a tube 114 leads to a volume or space between the bonded sheets 100 and102. The insert 106 is dimensioned to fit snugly within the centralopening 104.

In use, a vacuum source is connected to the tube 114 to adhere thedevice to a patient's body at the site of a wound while a gaseousmixture, such as CO₂ and ethanol is applied under pressure to the tube112 resulting in the flow of the mixture through the perforate layer 110overlaying the wound site.

As shown in FIG. 13, it may prove expedient to include a vent hole as at116 in the otherwise impervious layer 108 to relieve the pressurebuildup within the insert member 106. It is contemplated that fasterrecovery times will result when desired medical gases are delivered to awound site with the accuracy that can be achieved with the vacuumtherapy pad of the present invention.

It can be seen then that the present invention provides for theapplication of a vacuum to a thermal pad/wound dressing to maintain itin a desired location on a patient's body surface without the need forstraps, messy adhesives or the like to hold it in place. At the sametime, a fluid under pressure can be made to flow through the interior ofthe pad for the purpose of warming or chilling the selected treatmentsite or to apply a medicament in a gaseous form to the site of a woundfor inhibiting infection.

This invention has been described herein in considerable detail in orderto comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in theart with the information needed to apply the novel principles and toconstruct and use such specialized components as are required. However,it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out byspecifically different equipment and devices, and that variousmodifications, in terms of size, shape and materials used as theequipment and operating procedures, can be accomplished withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention itself.

1. A therapeutic pad for use in applying heat, cooling or an antisepticto a body surface of a patient comprising: (a) a generally flat housingcomprising first and second major surfaces joined to one another aboutperipheral edges thereof, the first major surface being gas impermeableand the second major surface being gas permeable over at least apredetermined area thereof; (b) one of a heat transfer member and awound treatment member contained within the housing; and (c) meansadopted to create a vacuum within the housing for adhering said one ofsaid heat transfer member and wound treatment member to the body surfaceof the patient.
 2. The therapeutic pad as in claim 1 wherein the heattransfer member is an electric resistance wire arranged in a serpentinepattern within the housing and disposed proximate to the second majorsurface.
 3. The therapeutic pad as in claim 1 wherein the heat transfermember comprises heat transmissive tubing disposed in the housing incontact with the second major surface.
 4. The therapeutic pad as inclaim 3 wherein the heat transmissive tubing contains one of a heattransfer fluid and a heat transfer gel.
 5. The therapeutic pad as inclaim 3 wherein the heat transmissive tubing transports a liquid.
 6. Thetherapeutic pad as in claim 3 wherein the heat transmissive tubingtransports a gas.
 7. The therapeutic pad as in claim 1 wherein the heattransfer member comprises first and second sheets of thermoplasticmaterial selectively sealed to one another to define plural tubesegments interconnected with one another.
 8. The therapeutic pad as inclaim 7 and further including a plurality of apertures formed throughthe thickness dimension of the first and second sheets at locationswhere the first and second sheets are sealed together.
 9. Thetherapeutic pad as in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a generallyrigid, fluid impervious first major surface.
 10. The therapeutic pad asin claim 9 wherein the second major surface of the housing comprises abody compatible open cell foam material.
 11. The therapeutic pad as inclaim 8 wherein the heat transfer member is further partitioned suchthat a vacuum can be created in one portion of the housing and apositive gas pressure in another portion of the housing whereby air canbe drawn into the housing through certain ones of the plurality ofapertures while a gas is being exuded from the housing through others ofthe plurality of apertures.
 12. The therapeutic pad as in claim 1 andfurther including filter media contained within the housing.
 13. Thetherapeutic pad as in claim 1 wherein the housing is sufficientlyflexible so as to be made to conform to a convex contour of said bodysurface.
 14. The therapeutic pad as in claim 1 wherein the woundtreatment member comprises a means for delivering an antibacterial gasthrough the gas permeable predetermined area of the second majorsurface.